Hearing Aid Utilization Among Older Adults
Summary
Age-related hearing loss affects over a third of adults aged 65 and above worldwide and is linked to social isolation, cognitive decline and reduced quality of life. Hearing aids are the principal intervention but remain under-utilised, with uptake impeded by cost, stigma, service complexity and limited access. Recent research spans traditional audiology models, consumer-driven frameworks and digital innovations, emphasising personalised care and streamlined pathways. Advances include over-the-counter self-fitting devices, smartphone-based amplification apps and real-time feedback platforms. Interdisciplinary work in audiology, behavioural science and digital health seeks to improve adoption, sustained use and global reach, with the ultimate aim of enhancing communication, independence and well-being among older adults.
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Hearing Aid Utilization Among Older Adults publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in hearing aid utilization among older adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Ecological momentary assessment (EMA): Repeated sampling of users’ experiences in daily life to minimise recall bias and capture authentic feedback.
Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid: A device sold directly to consumers without prescription, enabling self-programming of amplification settings.
Speech-in-noise test: An evaluation of a listener’s ability to understand speech against background noise, reflecting real-world auditory challenges.
References
- Feasibility of a Smartphone-Based Hearing Aid App for Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss: Prospective Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2023).
- Real-life and real-time hearing aid experiences: Insights from self-initiated ecological momentary assessments and natural language analysis. Frontiers in Digital Health (2023).
- Effectiveness of an Over-the-Counter Self-fitting Hearing Aid Compared With an Audiologist-Fitted Hearing Aid. JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (2023).
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